The Kid In Us All
by Kristin Antilles
Summary: Aragorn, Legolas, the Twins, and two very mischievous Hobbits get into a snowball fight outside the gates of Minas Tirith.


The Kid In Us All  
  
By: Kristin Antillies  
  
Rating: G  
  
Spoilers: This story takes place after ROTK, so there may be small spoilers for those who have not read the books or yet scene the movie.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Middle Earth or any of Tolkien's characters or works. This story was simply written for the enjoyment of all LOTR fans far and wide!  
  
Summary: Aragorn, Legolas, the Twins, and two very mischievous Hobbits get into a snowball fight outside the gates of Minas Tirith.  
  
The Kid In Us All  
  
It was nearly two years since the destruction of the one ring, and winter was once again beginning to settle over Gondor. The first snow of the year had fallen during the night, and the city of Minas Tirith was alive with a buzz of laughter and enjoyment of the white powder. Many of the children of the city were gathered outside the gates frolicking about in the snow, playing numerous games, making snow angels, and participating in some wild snowball fights!  
  
King Elessar and Queen Arwen stood watching the children play from the top of the Citadel, both bundled tightly in warm clothes, when they noticed someone approaching. The king smiled brightly when he recognized who it was. "Legolas! It is good to see you have returned."  
  
Legolas smiled softly at his beloved friend, and the two grasped each other's shoulder in their customary greeting. "It is good to be back."  
  
Aragorn looked strangely at the elf. He knew Legolas was still young by elven standards, but he should have been done growing. Yet the elf seemed much taller and towered over the king. Something was not right. Aragorn glanced down at the elf's feet and found the answer to his question. Once again Legolas was an elf and Aragorn a human. The elf was able to stand on top of the nearly foot of snow, while the king sunk down in it. Even Arwen stood taller than the king at the moment.  
  
Noticing his friend's confused look Legolas said with a sly smile, "I'm sorry my friend, but you are still not able to walk atop the snow."  
  
Aragorn just shook his head. "So it would seem! I trust your trip went well?" he asked, looking back up at his friend.  
  
"Yes it did. I believe Gimli was glad to be home and is looking forward to spending the winter with his family. I'm thankful the snow waited to fall until we had parted company. I would not have wanted to listen to him complain about it!" Legolas said with a slight roll of his eyes. "And I am glad to be back here to spend the winter with some of my closest friends."  
  
"This winter will be a lively one, as we have other friends and family here as well. My brothers and Merry and Pippin arrived just two days ago to spend the winter here in Minas Tirith!" Aragorn smiled at the elf.  
  
Legolas beamed with joy. "Your brothers and the hobbits are here! What a surprise, as I have not seen them in some time!"  
  
Arwen smiled, "I sense a bit of mischief in the air. I've heard the stories of how crazy things can get when you three elves team up with this human! And I'm sure adding two hobbits to the mix will only make things more interesting!"  
  
Aragorn and Legolas both smiled in remembrance. "I'm sure that we have out grown those times," the king said with a lopsided grin on his face.  
  
"We shall see," Arwen returned, matching the king's grin. Both smiled and laughed softly.  
  
"Where are your brothers and the hobbits?" Legolas asked.  
  
"The hobbits are somewhere down below amongst all the children. They couldn't resist getting in on all the action. The twins insisted in going on a short hunting expedition, but promised to be back by mid day." Aragorn explained. "Shall be go back inside?"  
  
The day passed by quickly and soon it was well past mid day. Most of the children had come back inside to thaw out their frozen bodies from a morning of rough housing in the snow. Elladan and Elrohir had not yet returned from hunting, and Legolas and Aragorn, after convincing the royal guard that the king would be perfectly safe with the elf, had decided to take a walk outside the city gates. As usual Legolas walked effortlessly on top of the snowy blanket, while Aragorn plowed through it, but the two friends talked and laughed together the whole time.  
  
Suddenly the elf was caught completely off guard, when a snowball smashed into the side of his head and sent white stuff flying everywhere. Legolas jumped in surprise and crashed into the king, nearly toppling them both over.  
  
Legolas regained his composure and the two friends looked in the direction the projectile had come from. A small wall of snow had been built a short distance away, and there was a very distinct giggle coming from behind it.  
  
"I know that laugh," Legolas said. Crouching low he began to make his way towards the snow fort. The two behind the wall obviously did not know the elf was headed their way, and just as Legolas reached the wall and stood up to tackle whoever was behind it, Pippin stood up and launched another snowball, smashing the white object squarely into the prince's face at point blank range.  
  
Legolas stumbled backwards in surprise and Pippin froze in horror, while Aragorn managed to fall down into the snow unable to contain his laughter. "Now look what you've done Pip!" Merry exclaimed and swatted Pippin upside the head.  
  
The elf brushed the snow off of his face and glared at the two hobbits. "I will get you for that!" he snapped, as he scooped up a handful of snow, packed it into a ball, and launched it at Pippin. But the hobbit was quicker and managed to duck in time so the snowball only bounced off the top of his head.  
  
This only made Aragorn laugh harder and he was rewarded with a snowball flung by Legolas exploding on the top of his head. "I could use a little help here," the elf said as he spun back around and started lobbing snowballs at the two hobbits who were quickly returning fire. The snowball fight had begun!  
  
The hobbits being the excellent stone throwers that they are, were proving to be just as good at throwing snowballs. Merry and Pippin were managing to score some glorious hits on the elf and king, and managed to dodge most of the return fire by ducking behind their wall of snow.  
  
After a few minutes of getting completely blasted by snowballs from the hobbits, Legolas and Aragorn decided they better take cover. The prince dove behind another wall of snow near by and Aragorn followed. However, this did not offer the two much cover, as the small fort was built for children, not a full grown man and elf.  
  
Doing the best they could behind their minimal cover, the two friends launched snowball after snowball at the fort across the battle field. But the returning snowballs were coming at them quicker! The hobbits must have been stock piling their weapons of war for some time and didn't have to stop to make them. One of the white bombs exploded on top of the elf's head, while another splattered on Aragorn's shoulder. The laughter of the four friends rang loudly across the fields.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir were returning from their hunt when they came across the scene in front of them. The twins stopped and stared in disbelief at the war that was raging. On one side were the hobbits in their rather large fort lobbing snowballs across the way with expert marksmanship, obviously in command of the battle. On the other side was their brother and friend smashed together behind a poor excuse for cover and very much on the losing end of this attack!  
  
The twins stared in amazement as Merry took a snowball to the forehead and toppled over, and Legolas covered his head with his hands and took one square in the back. At this point the brothers decided the only thing they could do was to help their friend and brother in need. They tossed down their catch for the day and headed off to join the battle, jumping behind cover with the hobbits.  
  
Merry and Pippin were so surprised by the newcomers in their fort, they stopped throwing their white bombs and stared. Legolas and Aragorn were surprised as well, and the battle halted for a moment. "What are you doing over there?" Aragorn hollered to his brothers.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir stood up and smiled at the king. "Helping a friend and brother in need," Elladan explained.  
  
"If you were helping you would be over here, not over there," Aragorn growled.  
  
"Besides," Elrohir piped up, "your cover is too small."  
  
At that comment, Legolas launched a snowball at the twins. Elladan seen it coming and ducked quickly, but Elrohir standing behind him didn't, and the projectile smashed into the unsuspecting elf's face, sending him over backwards. Legolas just grinned. Merry and Pippin let out a very hobbity war cry and the battle raged on.  
  
It quickly became obvious to the elf and king that they were not going to win this war. They were taking far more hits than their opponents and were rather out numbered. Both of them were covered in snow and more bombs exploded on their sorry excuse for cover. And Elrohir was finding it rather funny to perfect his technique of launching the snowballs high in the air, so they would drop straight down on top of the two friends. Now the two were not only being bombarded from straight ahead, but over head as well.  
  
"I fear we are not going to win this one my friend," Aragorn laughed, as Legolas was sent toppling over by taking a snowball to the side of the head. But Aragorn was soon rewarded by one exploding on top of his head, followed by Elrohir's laughter.  
  
"I think you are right," the elf said, brushing snow out of his hair. He looked toward the gates of the city. "I think it is time for a retreat."  
  
Aragorn followed the elf's gaze and nodded in agreement.  
  
Legolas quickly started making snowballs while Aragorn continued to return fire. "I will go first," the elf said as he gathered the newly made weapons in his arm, "and distract them while you make a run for the gate."  
  
"Agreed," Aragorn nodded, "good luck mellon nin."  
  
With that, Legolas bolted from their hideout. Being able to walk atop the snow, he was able to move very quickly. The elf made a mad dash for the gates, wildly launching snowballs as he went. His opponents were only momentarily taken off guard, and within minutes the four of them were chasing after the fair haired elf. The twins were catching up quickly, while the hobbits had a more difficult time getting threw the snow.  
  
Soon, Elladan had reached Legolas and quickly tackled the Mirkwood elf, landing both of them in the snow. Elrohir was right behind him and soon Merry and Pippin joined in as well, creating a rather hilarious monkey pile of hobbits and elves wrestling around in the snow.  
  
"Oh Legolas," Aragorn sighed. But this was the moment he needed, and the king made a mad dash for safety. He was making good time and almost reached the gates, when Merry suddenly hollered "Aragorn's getting away!"  
  
It was all over from there. The twins left the hobbits to wrestle around with Legolas in the snow while they dashed after their brother. Being able to run on top of the snow, the elves covered ground much quicker than the human trying to plow through it. Aragorn seen them coming and made a desperate attempt to claw his way to safety, but it was a lost cause. The two elves slammed into him and the three brothers tumbled to the ground in a storm of flying snow.  
  
Finally Aragorn gave up. He was not getting away from his captors and he lay still as they pressed him back in the snow, everyone laughing uncontrollably. "Legolas?" Aragorn questioned.  
  
The king looked in his friend's direction when he heard a rather muffled reply that sounded something like "Yes Aragorn?" Aragorn could only laugh at the sight before him. The hobbits were sitting on the elf's back holding his arms, and had Legolas pinned face down in the snow. Merry and Pippin were both laughing only as a hobbit could.  
  
"I think we lost my friend," Aragorn laughed.  
  
"I think you're right," came the elf's muffled reply, which only made everyone laugh harder.  
  
Seeing that their opponents had officially given up, the twins and the hobbits helped Aragorn and Legolas to their feet. Everyone brushed themselves off and were all smiles at the fun they had just had. "I may be nearly 90 years old," Aragorn breathed between laughs, "but I feel like a kid again!"  
  
"I don't think it matters how old you are mellon nin, there is always a kid in us all!" Legolas smiled.  
  
The twins gathered up their things and the six friends headed back into the city. All of them covered in snow and soaked to the bone. High above atop the Citadel, Arwen had watched the entire event, and her laughter rang out over the city. Yes, it was going to be a very interesting winter indeed.  
  
The End 


End file.
